The present invention relates generally to holders and more particularly to a holder for supporting a pita bread sandwich or other similar food item.
Pita bread sandwiches have become a very popular type of bread sandwich over the past few years. One reason for their popularity has been the nutritional value of the particular ingredients used in the pita bread. Another reason for their popularity has been the diskshaped hollow configuration of the pita bread itself which when cut off at the top or near the middle can be opened to form a curved pocket which may be easily filled or stuffed with salads, vegetables, cold cuts and the like. One of the problems with pita bread sandwiches, however, is that they are not self standing. Consequently, pita bread sandwiches must either be cradled at all times in the hands of a person, balanced, if possible, upright against another object, or supported in some type of holder in order to prevent spillage of the contents from the pocket. Another problem with pita bread sandwiches is that they must be carefully held upright when being moved from one location to another to avoid spillage.
In my U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,674 which issued on Apr. 9, 1985 there is disclosed a holder for use in supporting a pita bread sandwich in an upright position on a table top which is constructed from two identical cardboard blanks, each of which is cut and scored to define a trapezoidally shaped lower panel, a pair of glue flaps hingedly connected on either side of the side section panels, a semicircular shaped upper panel hingedly connected to the top of the lower panel and a plurality of glue tabs hingedly connected to the upper panel along its outer edge. In assembling the holder the side section panels and upper panel on each blank are folded forwardly in front of the lower panel and the glue flaps and glue tabs folded back. The glue flaps and glue tabs on one blank are then secured to the glue flaps and glue tabs respectively on the outer blank. Once assembled, the two upper panels define a semi-circular shaped pocket open at the top for receiving and holding the pita bread sandwich, the two lower panels serving as supports for standing the holder upright on the table top and the side sections defining tapered pleats connecting the two lower panels at their side edges. In another disclosed embodiment, the holder is a unitary molded plastic structure. Two versions are described, one for holding a single pita bread and the other for holding a plurality of pita bread sandwiches.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,071,394 which issued to G. F. Douglas on Feb. 23, 1937 there is disclosed a combination ash tray and advertising device formed of a blank having two center sections and two outer sections defined by fold creases, the two center sections folding upwardly toward each other and forming a V-shape receptacle, the two outer sections folding downwardly and forming supports to maintain the receptacle upright upon its apex, and joining end portions at the unattached edges of the center sections enclosing the ends of the receptacle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,252,073 which issued to W. K. Achert on Jan. 1, 1918 there is disclosed a display support comprising oppositely disposed sides, oppositely disposed end flaps attached to opposite edges of the sides, and adapted to be pivotally connected to form ends extending from side to side, a bottom having a series of portions adapted to be folded with relation to one another, and inner walls extending between the bottom and tops of the sides, whereby the sides will move into gripping engagement with an object located in the support and whereby the inner walls will be moved into engagement with the sides of the object when the object contacts the bottom.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved holder.
It is another object of this invention to provide a holder for a pita bread sandwich or other similarly shaped food item.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a holder which is self supporting and which is capable of supporting a pita bread sandwich in an upright position.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide a holder for supporting a pita bread sandwich in an upright position on a table top or other similar surface which can be easily converted into a container having a cover for use in transporting the pita bread sandwich from one location to another.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide a holder for holding a pita bread sandwich which can be fabricated from a single blank of suitable material, which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, which can be mass produced, and which is easy to use.
It is yet still another object of this invention to provide a holder for a pita bread sandwich is disposable.
It is another object of this invention to provide a blank construction that can be assembled to provide either a self supporting holder for a pita bread sandwich or a container having a cover for a pita bread sandwich.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a blank construction which can be assembled to form a container for a pita bread sandwich having a combination handle and cover.